River Ale - Berkshire Brewing Company Inc.

sommersb

Tennessee

4.4/5  rDev +11.7%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5

Tasted On: 01-31-2013
Freshness: Not indicated
Packaging: 22 oz. brown bottle, pry-cap
Glassware: Weizen glass
Purchased: Received in a trade

Reviewing my first in this rare style...

Pours with a huge off-white head, showing excellent lacing and very good head retention. Beer is mostly clear and dark amber in color.

Aromas are very pleasing, with a malty, sweet start, plus typical wheat yeast smells of cloves and bananas. Also has a bready and caramel character from the malts.

The taste is in line with the nose -- sweet and malty with caramel, fruit and spicy flavors. The earthy hops lend a low bitterness. Also has some nutty tastes.

Mouthfeel has a medium body with a moderate amount of carbonation. The finish is smooth, malty and sweet, but in balance.

Overall, this is an exceptional beer that I'm glad I had the opportunity to try. Highly recommended

Thanks to davey101 for this one!

Serving type: bottle

02-01-2013 05:19:50 | More by sommersb

BigOldOaf

Massachusetts

4/5  rDev +1.5%

04-28-2013 20:06:02 | More by BigOldOaf

shigg85

Japan

4.75/5  rDev +20.6%

04-24-2013 23:41:20 | More by shigg85

His_Royal_Hoppiness

United Kingdom (England)

3.75/5  rDev -4.8%

03-31-2013 19:23:42 | More by His_Royal_Hoppiness

hopley

Massachusetts

4.75/5  rDev +20.6%

03-30-2013 00:05:10 | More by hopley

bluerabbit

Massachusetts

4/5  rDev +1.5%

03-10-2013 01:39:37 | More by bluerabbit

Gatch

Massachusetts

4.25/5  rDev +7.9%

03-02-2013 02:17:33 | More by Gatch

DrewBest

Massachusetts

2.5/5  rDev -36.5%

02-24-2013 00:20:41 | More by DrewBest

AnitaBrewski

Massachusetts

4/5  rDev +1.5%

02-03-2013 02:40:23 | More by AnitaBrewski

Thorivan

3.75/5  rDev -4.8%

01-04-2013 19:06:07 | More by Thorivan

Rusty_Pabst

Massachusetts

4.25/5  rDev +7.9%

12-20-2012 05:06:51 | More by Rusty_Pabst

jski

New Hampshire

3.75/5  rDev -4.8%

12-02-2012 00:17:04 | More by jski

DavidS88

Massachusetts

4.48/5  rDev +13.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Great little brew with great big flavor. I drank this one right out of the bottle so I can't comment too much on the appearance other than it was nice and cloudy within the bottle just like a wheat beer should be. The smell was also nice and wheaty with strong hints of sweet fruits and some nuts. The nose greatly resembled the mouth as the taste was pretty much the same: wheat, maybe a hint of some other malts, with an interesting aftertaste that can only be described as sweet, but not really like a fruit. Maybe banana? That's the only thing that really came to mind since the nut flavor also makes an appearance. Feels great within the mouth. Essentially, RIver Ale will be remembered for the wheat used. I really recommend this one and can't wait to drink more from Berkshire Brewing Co.

Serving type: bottle

11-19-2012 02:36:03 | More by DavidS88

RichD

Rhode Island

4/5  rDev +1.5%

11-17-2012 16:57:36 | More by RichD

BEERMILER12

Maine

4.05/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

A: Pours a ruddy mahogany color with a fingers worth of head

S: Starts off with a good deal of wheat, spices, and fruit. The hops provide some light fruit and floral notes. Some nuttiness also comes through, mostly almonds that lend a sweet cherry note as well

T: Starts off with a nice fruitiness that combines with the nuttiness. Lightly spicy. Wheat comes through at the end. The nutty almond/cherry notes are the key point with the fruity hops nearly standing up to them

M: Light-medium bodied with a solid level of carbonation

O: A very solid dark wheat, with a good amount of fruitiness and flavor. Very easy to drink, and solidly refreshing. I can see why this is at the top of the style

Serving type: bottle

11-12-2012 02:09:49 | More by BEERMILER12

dubdrop

Massachusetts

3.5/5  rDev -11.2%

11-11-2012 23:20:15 | More by dubdrop

garuda

Pennsylvania

4.13/5  rDev +4.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Ruby, off white head has nice retention with some lacing.

S - A little light on the nose with fresh baked bread and a touch of floral hops.

T - Depths of malt in this one with baked bread, hints of chocolate, molasses, nuttiness... a little wheat twang. Minimal hop presence, finishes a little sweet with some booze heat. Nice.

M - Medium body, silky smooth carbonation and mouthfeel. Finishes dry with some booze.

O - My first of the style, but I reckon its a pretty good one.

Serving type: bottle

11-03-2012 23:28:19 | More by garuda

PEIhop

Massachusetts

4.25/5  rDev +7.9%

10-28-2012 02:00:56 | More by PEIhop

pogoowner

Pennsylvania

4/5  rDev +1.5%

10-09-2012 01:21:22 | More by pogoowner

Celtics76

Rhode Island

4.33/5  rDev +9.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Picked this up as a pre-dinner drink. Drank it while grilling a whisky-pepper pork tenderloin on the grill.

Pours a nice clear copper with a half inch of bubbly head that reduces quickly. Nice aroma here - sweet caramel. Quite tasty - caramel flavor hits the tongue and eventually gives way to a bready, crisp wheat finish with mild alcohol detection. Lightly carbonated with a good spicy, somewhat herbal kick. Perhaps due to the Willamette hops, as stated on the label. Overall a mild hop profile.

I've had this a few times and I must say it's one of the most unique brews I've had. Flavorful and highly drinkable. The only other American style dark wheat ale I've had was Mayflower's, and that one doesn't touch this.

Serving type: bottle

10-06-2012 22:56:10 | More by Celtics76

smutty33

Connecticut

3.5/5  rDev -11.2%

10-01-2012 16:37:45 | More by smutty33

PatGreer

Massachusetts

4.5/5  rDev +14.2%

09-16-2012 06:47:08 | More by PatGreer

yossarian14

Massachusetts

4.25/5  rDev +7.9%

09-12-2012 12:05:19 | More by yossarian14

match1112

Illinois

4.15/5  rDev +5.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Thanks to davey101 for sending this to me! bomber pours into a mug a dark wheat bread color, weird huh. smells and tastes like warm bread from the oven. full wheat body with hints of yeast a little hops . some burnt sugar and alochol is also detectable. full body, good carbonation, smooth creamy body with a slight hop bite on the finish. really like this beer. after receiving this i realized i needed it to knock out the style and what a solid representation of the style it is.

Serving type: bottle

09-05-2012 02:06:56 | More by match1112

mattparsons

New Hampshire

3.75/5  rDev -4.8%

08-18-2012 23:05:52 | More by mattparsons